Machine for scutching, decorticating and softening fibrous materials such as flax, hemp, jute and ramie



June 7, 1932. M. SOENENS 1,861,986

MACHINE FOR SCUTCHING, DECORTICATING AND SOFTENING FIBROUS MATERIALS SUCH AS FLAX, HEMP, JUTE AND RAMIE- Filed F eb. 12, 1931 Patented June 7, 1932 r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I Mansion SOENENS, or coUR'rRAI, BEIiGIUM, AssrGnoR-To ROBERT BOBY LIMITED,

. or BURY sr. EDMUNDS, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY Y MACHINE FOR SGUTCHING, DECORTIGATING- AND SOF'IEIVING FIBROUS MATERIALS SUCH AS FLAX, HEMRJUTE AND RAMIE Application filed February 12, 1931, Serial No. 515,187, and in Belgium April .14, 1930.

This invention relates to machines for scutching, decorticating and softening fibrous materials such as flax, hemp, jute and ramie.

Numerous machines exist of this kind, in which the materials are suspended in a preferably continuous row on a belt or gripping conveyor and submitted in the course of their movement to the repeated action of two or more stripping blades carried by rotating arms. a The known machines are divided principally into the single mill machines in which the blades are carried on a single shaft and the fibres are brought within the field or action of these latter by a guide or by a current of air, and the double mill machines, the blades of which are carried by two parallel shafts and alternately strike the row of fibres on opposite sides thereof. It has been sought to increase the eflici-ency of these machines by increasing the number of stripping knives. Nevertheless, the results of mechanical stripping, although remarkable, have not yet reached the perfection of scutching by hand.

The present invention is based on the surprising discovery of the fact that the most favorable conditions for scutching mechanically may be realized not by the multiplication but by the reduction of the number of the blades, and it has for its subject a simple mill machine in which this reduction is carried as far as possible. In other words, the machine, according to the invention, possesses only a single scutching blade. This blade is carried by rotating arms between which is fixed in known manner a screen, for example constituted by a perforated plate, metallic gauze or a series of bars arranged after the manner of a grid, parallel to the blade, in order to prevent the flapping of the fibres and their twisting round the blade.

In an embodiment of the invention, the single blade mill rotates in an approximately cylindrical casing provided at one part of its surface with a slot or aperture for the passage of the curtain of fibrous materials, and at another part with an opening for the discharge of the refuse. The slot allowing the passage of the fibres is preferably situated above the mill spindle and parallel thereto. The inclination of the blade is determined in such initial position when the blade again strikes 7 it, and each blow finds it in the most favorment and an eflicient decortication or scutchmg.

The casing is preferably arranged eccentrically to the shaft, the slot for the passage of the fibres being situated at the nearest point of the path of the blade, while the outlet opening for the refuse is made at a point diametrically opposite, this arrangement facilitating the flowing of the air in the desired direction. 7

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect the same will now be more fully de scribed with reference to the accompanying drawings which represent diagrammatically in cross-section a machine exemplifying the invention.

Figures 1 to 4 show respectively the successive positions of the blade from the moment when it comes into contact with the curtain of fibrous materials until it is disengaged therefrom.

On theshaft 1 radial arms 2 carry the scutching blade 3 inclined at the desired angle. Between the blade and the shaft and also secured to the arms 2, is a series of bars 4 of any desired shape, and forming a grid parallelto the shaft. The whole of these devices, which may be balanced by a counterweight, not shown, rotate in a casing 5 which is preferably cylindrical and eccentric with respect to the path'of the blade, indicated on Figure l by thedotted circle 6.

- The curtain of fibrous materials held by one of its extremities in a suitable gripper or conveyor 7 guided in achannel 8, moves perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing in able position for effecting satisfactory treata longitudinal slot 9 made in the casing 5 above the shaft. At the point 10 the outlet 11 for the discharge of the refuse starts.

In the position represented in Figure 1 the front edge of the blade 3 comes into contact with the curtain of fibrous material which is hanging vertically, or nearly so. In Figure 2 the striking has just taken place, and the curtain of fibrous material curves round the blade 3, where the screen formed by the bars 4 keeps it at practically right angles. The blade which on striking the curtain of fibrous material has made a' slight indent, slides along the fibres as is shown in Figures 2 and 3, and removes the straw from them. In Figure 4 the blade has left the curtain of fibrous material and the screen in its r0- tation producing a current of air, brings back the curtain into its original position, in which it stands when the blade 3 again operates on it. i

At each rotation of the mill, the curtain of fibrous material is thus struck, bent practically at right angles successively at each point of its length, while it is scraped by the blade 3, after which it is left to itself to take up the original position. These cycles of blows each given at the maximum angle and followed by bendings, scrapings and return movements, produce a rapid and complete scutching and a thorough softening of'the fibres.

The scutching refuse is discharged through the opening 11 and is carried away by the currentof air created by the rotation of the mill.

\Vhile a practical example of apparatus for carrying out this invention has been hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that many modifications of such apparatus could be deviscdwithout departing from the principle thereof, and it is understood that any such modifications which fall within the scope of the following claims are included in the invention. It must be understood that a single blade, in the present description means one blade only capable of striking the material in the air. What is important in effect is that the fibres only receive a single scutching blow per revolution of the mill, and that they can return practically to their original position before receiving the following blow.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a machine for scutching, decorticating and softening textile fibres, a mill comprising a rotary shaft and a single scutching blade carried by said shaft to strike said fibres once in each revolution, and a screen arranged between said blade and said shaft, whereby in the rotation of said screen a current of air is produced to return the fibres to their in itial position after each scutching blow;

2. In a machine for scutching, decorticating and softening textile fibres, a mill comprising a rotary shaft and a single scutching blade carried by said shaft to strike said fibres once in each revolution, a casing in which said mill is rotatable, said casing being provided at one part of its surface with a slot for the passage of a curtain of fibres, and at another part thereof with an opening for the discharge of the refuse, the casing being eccentric to the path of the scutching blade, the slot for the passage of the curtain of fibres being situated at the point nearest said path, and the discharge opening starting at the point most distant from said path.

3. In a machine for scutching, decorticating and softening textile fibres, a mill comprising a rotary shaft and a single scutching blade carried by said shaft to strike said fibres once in each revolution, a casing in which said mill is rotatable, said casing being provided at one part of its surface with a slot for'the passage of a curtain of fibres, and at another part thereof with an opening for the discharge of the refuse, the casing being eccentric to the path of the scutching blade, the slot for the passage of the curtain of fibres being situated above the shaft of the mill and parallel thereto.

MAURICE SOENENS.. 

